June 22, 2008

Sharing with Writers
A newsletter that is also a community. Share your ideas. Learn from theirs!

From the Desks of
Carolyn Howard - Johnson
And Authors' Coalition Friends
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Sharing with Writers is the official newsletter of Authors' Coalition,
www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com
an organization of writers who help writers.

To read this letter in plain vanilla text, scroll down. To read this newsletter with a bit more pizzazz (not much, though!) at Authors Den go to:
http://www.AuthorsDen.com/adstorage/1713/SharingwithWriters_June_No3Week_2008.doc

In the spirit of the advice I give in the Frugal Editor - - that is to use an extra pair of eyes whenever possible - - this newsletter is voluntarily copyedited by Authors' Coalition member, Mindy Phillips Lawrence ~ mplcreative1@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mplcreative
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Note from Carolyn:

Dear Subscribers and Authors' Coalition Members:

I am letting a loyal Sharing with Writers subscriber tell you about something new out there. She has a point. Sometimes some money spent is more frugal than being plain cheap (though she didn't say it that way!). So here's something from Terry Doherty that might work, especially for fiction writers who have fewer viable options than nonfiction writers:

Hi Carolyn,

Have you seen this site: http://www.bit - o - lit.com/

This group creates an ad - driven mini - book that is GIVEN AWAY to Metro riders in the Washington, DC area every Monday evening. Thankfully, I don't live there anymore, but I DO still read the Washington Post, and I know that ridership is way, WAY up thanks to the cost of gas! And of course, with summer, you not only have "regular" commuters, you have lots of vacationers!

Here's the "propaganda" (old term, I know) from their site.

"Bit o’ Lit is dedicated to
1. Addicting new people to reading
2. Upping the addictions of current readers
3. Showering attention on brilliant works by new authors
4. Increasing public interest in reading, writing, and participating in the arts
"Bit o’ Lit is a booklet - sized magazine that is handed out for free to commuters in Washington, DC as they board the bus or train on Monday evenings. The booklet’s primary contents are book excerpts, paid for by publishers, which passengers read on their ride home.

"We believe that while readers support the idea of reading new books, in practice, they are hesitant to risk their time and money on untested books or authors. This is undeniably why there were no new authors among the thirty bestselling books last year.

"With Bit o’ Lit, we give readers samples of new books at the key time: when they are bored on their long ride home. Thus, Bit o’ Lit brings new authors to the public’s attention in an unprecedented way. Readers will be able to judge for themselves whether or not they enjoy the writing."
Even if you don't live in the Washington, DC area you can still benefit. Bit - o - lit publishes its editions on - line, too.

Now, I don't know whether it's frugal or not cost - wise, but it seemed pretty innovative to me!

Hope all is well,
Terry Doherty
Executive Director, The Reading Tub, Inc, www.thereadingtub.com "

I can't imagine that Bit 'o Lit would turn away a client - - however independent - - if the quality of the excerpt offered is up to their standards and your money is as authentic as a large publsher's. So, for those who want to try something new and can afford advertising that goes beyond display advertising, this may be it.

Happy promoting! And yes, writing and editing, too!

Carolyn Howard - Johnson
Websites: http://carolynhoward - Johnson.com (literary)
http://HowToDoItFrugally.com (all things about writing)
Authors' Coalition: http://www.AuthorsCoalitionandRedEnginepress.com
For the Frugal Editor, Amazon - direct: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/
Blogs: http://AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog focused on book fairs
http://www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com, a blog on all things publishing
http://www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog focused on YOUR reviews
http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, a blog focused on editing, formatting and craft
And now blogging on War. Peace. Tolerance. And Our Soldiers at http://www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com.
And now! Squidooing at
http://www.squidoo.com/HowToDoItFrugallyforAuthors
and http://www.squidoo.com/carolynhoward - johnson
PS: Have you circled July 12 on your calendars? Patrika Vaughn, Allyn Evans and I share with anyone who wants guidance for writing their own story (memoir, biography, family history) and getting it published. See below under appearances for info on how to access this f r ^ ^ seminar.

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Please pass this letter on to others. Unlike many, I do not mind if you use only portions of it as long as you credit the writers and include this subscribe information. "To subscribe to 'Sharing with Writers' send an e - mail to HoJoNews@aol.com with 'Subscribe' in the subject line."
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Letter - to - the - Editor

Regarding the alternative idea [published in last weeks Sharing with Writers] to using a sell sheet in your galleys or ARCS, thanks. I am sure that the exchange here will streamline marketing efforts. There are so many options, I am wondering if members of the group would like to share which choices have proven to be the most effective in selling their books online or off.
Cheers
Linda Ballou
Note! Yes. This is your nudge to share your ideas. This letter is all about doing that! (:
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Carolyn -

Just read your newsletter about the Allstate ad and the fact that we are living longer, etc. With Tim Russert's death this past week, I keep thinking how glad I am that he did write "Big Russ', a tribute to his father and a book, I'm sure, his son will now treasure. So it is not only the fact that we might live longer than expected but who knows if we will die tomorrow. If we have the desire to write and/or a story to tell, we should do it today.

Kathleen Thomas
Author of Don't Call Me Rosie, the Women Who Welded the LSTs and the Men who Sailed on Them

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New members will help Authors' Coalition serve all its members better! Ask your writing friends to join at http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/. Paid members get a favorite review posted, consideration for an interview or review in Yarnspinners and Wordweavers, ditto for The Fiction Flyer and Betty Dobson's Inkspotter. Membership is reasonable, too.
Tell friends to visit our blog. There they'll learn how to spark generally insipid book fairs by using value - added promotions. www.authorscoalition.blogspot.com.
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com
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Organizing Tip: From my poetry critique partner, Lois P. Jones: Someone once said something like this, "Discipline is remembering what you really want."

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My blog, War, Peace, Tolerance and Our Soldiers is where I get to nag and rag to try to make things better for our troops and maybe for the world. It now has a growing list of resources for those who want to do something to support our troops (not necessarily the Iraqi War). I'd love to have you leave a comment. www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com
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Q&A a la Ann Landers

On Writers' Stress Syndrome

Questions From Diane Ward: Thank you as always for your fabulous newsletter and keeping me up to snuff. Any thoughts on how to deal with anxiety after you've submitted your proposal?

Answer: Yes! There is an entire chapter on this in The Frugal Book Promoter. All those fears. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of plagiarizing. I kid you not. My favorite tip from that section is to send your proposal (or contest entry or manuscript) to at least 13 places at one time. Then you don't worry about any one of them and you're so busy sending you don't think about it. ( - : So you are on the right (write) track below.

Question: Waiting for the response from a publisher or agent is like waiting for a doctor to give you the results of your lab test. I was also thinking today that submitting is like someone house - hunting. You wouldn't buy the first house you see (unless of course you drove by it every day and fell in love with it and had your heart set on it). So then why would an author submit a proposal to the 1st publisher requesting one without getting it out to others who may also be interested. This is actually a rhetorical question. I don't have the answer. But the wait is challenging.

Answer: Actually, that's covered in The Frugal Book Promoter, too. It is patently unfair to the author to be required to submit material tangentially. It's been covered in this letter, as well. You may choose to follow the rules to the letter in certain cases, but don't feel you have to follow it assiduously. It's a rule, not a law!

Question: Your newsletter comes to me in spam so it is a good thing to check daily!

Answer: Mmmm. There's a way to avoid that. Put my e - mail (hojonews@aol.com) in your e - mail service contact folder. If your Googlemail or AOL or Earthlink or whatever will allow you to do so. Include the name "Sharing with Writers" too.

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So you got As in English. You know grammar and spelling. That's great but an editor of you it doth not make. An editor knows formatting, front and back matter, indexing, structure, the elements of fiction and on and on. But mostly she'll see your manuscript in a fresh, new light. Learn how to hire a great editor and learn to be a better partner for any author - - awful to superb - - in The Frugal Editor.
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Thank Yous

(There are leads here, just as you'll find in all the most innocent - looking areas of this newsletter. You never know when you'll find a name or a site that will help you network or write better!)

To Jozette Aaron for including "On Gremlins, Making Mistakes, and Compassion" in her June edition of DeSilva's News which is one beautiful newsletter, packed with good stuff for writers. Find the .pdf here. http://jozette.webs.com/DNJune2008.pdf
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To Bruce Henricksen for telling his friends in the writing and publishing community about The New Book Review, a blog where previously published reviews can be given a second life. He says, "You need to supply the host of the website assurance that you have permission to reprint. She asks in return for posting your review that you tell others about her endeavor, which is what I'm doing here. She offers a good service. So check out www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com."
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To Rose of Romance at Heart (yes, she just goes by Rose!) for publishing an article on "Seven Easy Ways to Keep Dialogue Sharp" at http://romanceatheart.com/articles.html. Her page of articles is a good place for authors to glean information at no charge.
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To Yvonne Perry, author and writing cheerleader, for including both of the Frugal series of books on her Squidoo lens, http://www.squidoo.com/bookwriterditor. Do you Squidoo? It's a great way to focus on a specific aspect of your writing career or book. See mine at http://www.squidoo.com/HowToDoItFrugallyforAuthors From there you can find other Squidoo lenses. See what Yvonne has done with hers and invite her, too.

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No part of this newsletter is paid advertising. If you would like to advertise to subscribers, display ads are available at www.howtodoitfrugally.com at less per year than most sites charge for a single month (see the advertising tab at the top of the page). Authors' Coalition www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com is also accepting ads. So is Yarnspinners and Wordweavers. Contact katieseyes@aol.com.
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Tip: Find one of Yvonne Perry's WritersInTheSky interviews, this one with Sandy Powell. Sandy shared a lot of inside information on how to publish with Wordclay.com - - an online do - it - yourself publishing service. You may subscribe to WITS podcast RSS feed at feed://nashvillewriter.audioacrobat.com/rss/writers_in_the_sky_podcast.xml.

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Subscribers who have websites or newsletters of their own may be interested in the Free Articles 4 Readers and Writers on my site, www.howtodoitfrugally.com. I try to add new articles to it frequently. If you don't see what you need for your blog or newsletter, just ask. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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Opportunities

Paying Resource: Choice Publishing Group is seeking stories of 250 to 2000 words about and by dads. Pays $50. Submission Deadline: August 31, 2008. Guidelines: http://patchworkpath.com/index_files/Submissions.htm

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Fun and F r * *: If you purchased the Frugal Book Promoter or the Frugal Editor, I'd love for you to review it on Amazon or BN.com. Make it simple; just tell what part of it you found most valuable. If you do, send me the review link (URL) and I will send you a handout from one of my UCLA classes. As a thank you, of course. HoJoNews@aol.com
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On Poetry

This is a new running feature for the poets among us and those who would like to try writing poetry but feel, well . . . inadequate. Please send in your poetry tips and resources for this section.

A f r ^ ^ contest sponsored by pen makers Franklin - Christoph is open for submissions. Submit up to two by November. Learn more at http://www.franklin - christoph.com/Writing/PoetryContest.html

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Don't suffer with book proposals. You can be a pro with and investment of only 20 minutes and 49 cents with my Great First Impression Book Proposal Short.
http://www.amazon.com/Great - First - Impression - Book - Proposal/dp/B000YG6O5U
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Tip: If you're in the mood for truly great summer reading, find a list (all f r ^ ^ copies!) of classics compiled by Mindy Lawrence at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com.

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A general marketing rule is that a product must be seen seven times before it is purchased. That is just as true for books (because they are products, like it or not!). Let people see that book cover image! To do that, you are invited to advertise as a site sponsor at www.howtodoitfrugally.com for only $25 to $30 a year. Yep, the frugal way! Click on the Advertising tab at the top of the page or contact me personally at hojonews@aol.com.
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Author Successes

(If you read about others' successes you'll not only be inspired, you'll glean resources for future successes of your own. You are invited to send me news about your successes. Please use "AUTHOR SUCCESSES" as a subject lines.)

Port Chicago Isn't There Anymore - - But We Still Call It Home, by Ken Rand, is the story about a little town that the Navy wanted to destroy because it was in the way of their ammunition base. Townsfolk fought back. And lost. But 40 years after the town disappeared, townsfolk still meet to mourn. And remember. The story is now available from Media Man! Productions. Read the introduction at www.sfwa.org/members/Rand/. For ordering info, contact Rand at KRand27577@aol.com.

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Available: Audios from Audio Divas on many aspects of building a writing career are published by Double Dragon Press. Here is the page where you'll find the full list (http://www.double - dragon - ebooks.com/eAuthor.php?Name=Carolyn%20Howard - Johnson ) including one on "Do It Yourself Indexing." The first audio, "Promoting Easy and Cheap!" is a F R ^ ^ sample you can download. Each comes with a resource guide. Here is an example of a guide for the audio - lesson Your Divas did on "Contests": http://www.derondouglas.com/audiosample/AwardResourceGuideContests.pdf
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From Anne Louise Reinhard to You

Humor Hints

When writing anything, it is important to know your audience. With humor writing, it becomes critical. If I were writing a treatise on great philosophers, I would expect anyone who didn’t follow the Plutarch references to do some research and figure them out. But if I’m writing a funny story with Plutarch’s “Parallel Lives” in the punch line, I’d better be darn sure that my audience has a working knowledge of those biographies, because nobody is going to do research to get a joke. Instead, they’re going to dismiss me as some scholar wannabe who would throw in arcane references just to sound more intelligent.

Oh. Wait - - not that that’s what just happened here. I mean, it’s not like I heard his name on Jeopardy and then looked him up on Wikipedia to create a punch line. That wouldn’t be funny, would it?

May your keyboard never falter!
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Reach Anne Louise at annelouise@annelouise.net

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On Editing

June is my writing month. I'm making it easy on myself and giving you an excerpt right from The Frugal Editor, this one on apostrophes. There are six of these easy - apostrophe guidelines. I'm sending you the first three and sending you - - with this simple link - - to my Frugal Editor blog for the other three. I don't want the blog to get lonely. www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com.
Making Possessives So Simple the Gremlin Can't Fool with You

 Add 's to a singular form of the word, even if it ends in s. Example: Travis's uniform. (Yes, the stylebooks do disagree on this and there are what I call seat - of - the - pants exceptions. Sound seems to be the determiner, or an individual publisher or journal's style guidelines.)
 Add 's to plural forms that do not end in s. Example: children's.
 Add only the apostrophe to the end of plural nouns that end in s: Example: several eggs' yolks or writers' program.

You will want to review the rule for making nouns in a series possessive. Quick! If you can't give me the rules in three seconds, then you'd better click here: www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com.

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Endorsement:" I am so happy for you to receive a second award [Reader Views Literary Award] for The Frugal Editor. I bought this book a week ago, and I love it. I can already see the improvement in my work. Thank you. You deserve this award." ~Katherine Harms, author
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TIP: Your blog might win a contest. Go to www.blogofthedayawards.blogspot.com . A win may be used to drive some traffic your way. It looks as if you can nominate people frequently. I saw some people who subscribe to SWW (Mark Gerson!) there!

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Authors' Coalition members! For credibility, use the AC logo on your promotional materials. Ask for it by sending an e - mail to HoJoNews@aol.com or download it with a click from the AC site http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/AC_Promotional_Videos,%20Logos%20&%20More .
You know you want it on your website! Be sure to link it to the AC site, too! And there is a cross - promotional slide show there that will add movement and color to your site or blog, even if you aren't featured on it. It's all about Karma. ( - :
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Tip: Social networks are in the news. My favorite is LinkedIn. Why? Because I hardly have time to do silly things like write on fun walls. Now investors agree with me. LinkedIn was just valued at $1 billion by venture capitalists. LinkedIn is about real networking, real people who are interested in helping other real people, not just people with unrelated interests collecting names. I believe in lists but only in lists of people truly interested in and serious about whatever it is you have in common with them. In fact nerdy founder Reid Hoffman helped LinkedIn attract this kind of venture capital with his own LinkedIn network. If you are interested in getting started, invite me! Go here: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/1/231/549

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Authors' Coalition: No Hum - Drum Book Fair Promotion Allowed is a blog where you can watch how Authors' Coalition members make book fairs successful with cross - promotion, value - added promotions and a good assessment process. Find it at www.authorscoalition.blogspot.com. It's time to sign up for 2009's LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books with Christine Alexanians, tinooshik@yahoo.com =======================================

Tip from Virgil Jose, author The Examined Life: Learn how to give a better pitch. Check to see when the next Pitch Fest is. Go to their www.pitchfest.com for all the information. He says, "I believe people have to register in advance."

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"AC is the current that powers your writing career." http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com
Carolyn Howard - Johnson, Authors' Coalition Founder
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From Elizabeth Lucas - Taylor

(Elizabeth contributes at least one valuable paying resource per SWW issue - - either a great place to sell material or find writing craft or promotional idea - - and she sometimes throws in a resource for you.)

In the next couple issues, Elizabeth will explain some rights terms:
First World English is the right to be the first in the entire English - speaking world to publish the work. You won't be able to sell First American, First Canadian, First British, First Australian or FNASR if you sell this right. Sell First World English and you've eliminated the opportunity to sell first rights to every English - speaking country in the world.
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Find Elizabeth at http://www.authorsden.com/elucastaylor or her new blog at http://www.elucas - taylor.blogspot.com/ or at MySpace http://www.myspace.com/elucastaylor
where you will find a writers' community.

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Reciprocal Links: Many subscribers are in a position to cross - promote. Let me know if you would like to trade some recommendation or promotion for any of my books - - from the HowToDoItFrugally series to my chapbook of poetry - - for a place on my Resources for Writers or Resources for Readers pages on www.HowToDoItFrugally.com.
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Tip: I just met Kelly Klepfer who interviewed me for her blog, Novel Journey. It is a great resource for writers and here's why: It was named one of Writer's Digest's top websites for writers. The site is known for its author interviews, commentary on the writing life and book giveaways, and appears on My Space News. The Novel Journey offer something valuable to our growing readership with every post.
http://www.noveljourney.blogspot.com/http://www.noveljourney.blogspot.com/

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I use Vista Print for lots of my promotional materials. Be aware that shipping prices may fluctuate, depending on the deal of the moment. Please use this link:
http://www.vistaprint.com/frf?frf=815651421184
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In the News: Thank heaven. If HarperCollins has its way, the day of the returned book may be on its way out. The old method forces publishers to take all the risk and accept any book back that doesn't sell within a certain amount of time. This is their gamble on the success of a given title, a risk many small presses can't afford, especially in today's economy. Further, booksellers are the only retail industry afforded this kind of consideration by their vendors. Generally, retailers buy what they think they need. They buy cautiously because they know THEY will have to eat it if it doesn't sell. I. E., most vendors don't accept returns just because the item didn't sell or because the store miscalculated and ordered too many. For the first time - - and possibly signaling an industry change - - a new imprint at HarperCollins will not allow stores to return unsold merchandise. I've mentioned this before in this newsletter but the full story is on this NPR broadcast: http://www.imakenews.com/bargainbooknews/e_article001117501.cfm?x=bcQbtdV,b4l3tNMg

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The New Book Review is a service of this newsletter and Authors' Coalition. It allows authors to get more exposure from their favorite review and reviewers a chance to have more readers see their reviews - - with links, of course. Please check the guidelines on the blog site at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com.
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An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing

The Omnipotent Writer

By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

Last Sunday afternoon I found the next chapter of my client’s novel in my e - mail. I poured over it, making a few small changes as I read. After that first cursory glance, I went back to the beginning and read the entire chapter aloud to myself. It came alive. On the precipice of emotional destruction and upheaval, Skye, the main character, fights for the life of her friend and her friend’s unborn child. She feels hopeless until she bumps into an acquaintance who gives her hope and the seeds of a plan.

In reading the words to the chapter out loud, it hit me how omnipotent writers are – how we can save and destroy with the words we choose. Writers can be a force for good or for evil, as can humanity itself.
Dan Skelton’s novel strikes a chord for reclamation and the power of goodness. Certain passages rip you open. The characters make you think about what you believe in, how you judge others.

Words dig deep. Skelton’s words can gouge. They can also enlighten. This is not true of Skelton’s work alone, but the work of any good writer. You can make alive, kill, destroy or save with nothing more than sentences.

When you are writing, think of the impact of your words. Before you place anything down, think of the senses – the hearing, seeing, smelling, speaking, touching of your characters. How do you want your reader to perceive them? How do you want your work to embed in your reader’s mind? It’s the one time that you will have complete control of an entire universe. Make it count.

Let the links below guide you on how to incorporate the senses into your writing for impact. Enjoy your omnipotence.
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D*Y*I Planner, http://www.diyplanner.com/node/949

Improve Your Creative Writing: The Senses http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/82310/improve_your_creative_writing_the_senses.html?cat=24

How to Use the Five Senses with Writing a Descriptive Essay, http://www.korepetycje.com/writing - resources/fivesenses - descriptiveessays.html

Writing From Your Senses: http://www.writetoinspire.com/article1231.html

Good Writers Use the Five Senses Poster (PDF), http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/pdfs/148300.pdf
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Mindy Phillips Lawrence www.freewebs.com/mplcreative is the author of One Blue Star and co - author of The Complete Writer. She is also the publicist and literary agent for Dr. Dan Skelton and representative for the fiction work of Bev Walton - Porter. She is in the process of researching a novel titled Alone is Where We Begin.

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Endorsement:
"www.HowToDoItFrugally.com , by Carolyn Howard - Johnson [is] a top website for writers . . . I'd say my ROI is over 1,000%. The advice is particularly strong in addressing the new author where they are in learning the publishing/selling process. Very practical. The site is excellent."
~ Hill Kemp, author of Capitol Offense, and contributor to Secrets, Fact or Fiction? I, ISBN 0 - 9737282 - 5 - 6 and Secrets, Fact or Fiction? II, ISBN 1 - 59594 - 062 - 6, LOC 2006904627, http://www.secretsfactorfiction.com
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Opportunity

Blog Tour to Celebrate Release of Book Becomes Great Resource for Writers

BTW, June is Book Reviewing month at Blogcritics Magazine! One of their features is Mayra Calvani's series of interviews including Bev Walton - Porter. They discuss Scribe & Quill and book reviews.

Various book reviewers/publications are featured. Here's the lineup. Remember, the ones that don't have a link will be easily accessed from Mayra's page: http://slipperybookreview.wordpress.com/

June 2 - James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review (http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/06/01/202918.php ),
June 3 - Irene Watson, Reader Views (http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/06/01/202918.php),
June 5 - Magdalena Ball, The Compulsive Reader (http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/06/05/182209.php(
June 8 - Carolyn Howard - Johnson, The New Book Review (http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/06/07/071041.php)
June 9 - Lisa Holstein (http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/06/12/033624.php
June 11 - Bev Walton Porter, Scribe & Quill (http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/06/12/000937.php )
June 13 - Alex Moore, ForeWord Magazine
June 15 - Stephanie Padilla, New Mystery Reader
June 17 - Sharyn McGinty, In The Library Reviews (http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/06/16/071327.php)
June 19 - Cheryl Malandrinos, The Book Connection
June 21 - Eveline Soors, Euro - reviews
June 23 - Andrea Sisco, Armchair Interviews
June 25 - Lea Schizas, Muse Book Reviews
June 27 - Linda Baldwin, Road to Romance
June 29 - Hilary Williamson, Book Loons
June 30 - Judy Clark, Mostly Fiction

Between June 1st and June 30th, stop by and leave a comment under the reviewer interviews. It's a good way to learn more about reviews and to network. It will give you a chance to win Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour (Bronze Package Plan, coordinated by book publicity guru Dorothy Thompson), OR, as an alternative to a non - author winner, a $50 B&N gift certificate! The second prize will be a one - year subscription to Foreword Magazine. The third prize will be a T - shirt with the cover art of The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing on the front.

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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching:

(I'm taking the months of June and July off to write. Hope this plan works. ( - :)

Patrika Vaughn, Allyn Evans and I are teaming up to present a free teleseminar titled "How To Write Your Life Story" to writers who want to tell their own stories, as memoir or as fiction. It is for genealogists, journalists and storytellers everywhere. Writers are invited to listen and come prepared with their questions at noon on July 12th EST. Call 1 - 218 - 936 - 7999. When prompted use this access code: 390175. If asked, participants may need this pin number: 2823.
The teleconference will be available as a podcast afterward at:
 Authors' Coalition, www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress/podcasts_&_radio.htm
 The ACapella Publishing site, www.acapella.com/
 Allyn Evans' site, www.allynevans.com
 On Allyn's Queen Power site, www.queeenpower.com .
 And on Carolyn's Resources for Writers page at www.howtodoitfrugally.com
Those with questions may contact Patrika at .acappub@aol.com. Please put it on your calendar!
Carolyn Howard - Johnson will read from her chapbook of poetry, Tracings, Monday evening, Aug. 11, at 7:30 pm at the Village Bookstore 1049 Swarthmore Ave, Pacific Palisades, CA. Poets Alice Pero and Lois P. Jones sponsor ongoing featured readings called Moonday. Learn more at www.home.earthlink.net/ ~pero/moonday.html.
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New! Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be the featured interview October 10, 2008 on Novel Journey, recently named one of Writer's Digest's top websites for writers. The site is known for its author interviews, commentary on the writing life and book giveaways, and appears on My Space News. Novel Journey has become a "must visit" blog that is frequented by publicists, editors, publishers and multi - published authors. The Novel Journey contributors have crafted questions designed to guarantee that each post will offer something valuable to our growing readership.
http://www.noveljourney.blogspot.com/
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The f r e ^ Muse Online Writers' Conference, sponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard - Johnson, is accepting early registration. Nearly 2,000 attended last year and openings are limited. Learn more about this year's conference, October 13 to 19th, and how you can assure your spot in 2008. We will present an all - new program soon. Carolyn will do a seminar on "Query Letters! Editing them perfectly for a great first impression." Go to: For more information click here:
http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com
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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will speak to the California Writers Club of San Fernando Valley at 1 pm on December 13, 2008. It's at the Encino Community Center, 4939 Balboa Blvd (just north of Ventura Blvd.), Encino, CA 91316. Learn more about the year's programs www.calwriterssfv.com and sign up to join. It's a dynamic group. E - mail is cwcsfv@gmail.com.

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Wordstuff ™

Something to Make Writers Smile

(Definitions in the next few newsletters are from www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/definitions.htm.You might have some favorite neologisms, metaphors or similes that make you smile. If so, please contribute.)
"CLOTHES DRYER: An appliance designed to eat socks."

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Essential Book and Record Keeping:

This letter is an entity of Authors' Coalition http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com

Edited and distributed by Carolyn Howard - Johnson,

http://carolynhoward - johnson.com

Author of This Is the Place, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, Tracings, and the How To Do It Frugally series of books for writers,
www.howtodoitfrugally.com.

Tracings, a chapbook of poetry, published by Finishing Line Press may be ordered at
www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599240173/qid=1139084827/sr=1 - 1/

This is a place to share with others and learn from others.

Though I do attempt to verify information used within this newsletter's pages, Sharing with Writers does not guarantee entities or information. Subscribers should research resources.

To submit information articles, tips or other information, e - mail Carolyn at HoJoNews@aol.com. Please put "Submission: Sharing with Writers" in the subject line.

If you do not care to receive this newsletter, send an e - mail to HoJoNews@aol.com with "Unsubscribe” in the subject line, but please, please don't tell me you've given up writing or promoting!

To subscribe to Sharing with Writers send an e - mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HoJoNews@aol.com.

Please pass this newsletter on to friends or e - groups. It needn't be pasted in its complete form, but please credit this newsletter, Authors' Coalition and the individual contributors with anything you snip and paste.

Order the Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't at stores like UCLA, Dayton University and San Diego State University's bookstores. Order it as an e - book at http://starpublish.com/carolyn_howard - johnson.htm

or paperback at Amazon where it is discounted:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/193299310X/qid=1149015406/sr=2 - 1/

The second in the How To Do It Frugally series of books, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, is available at this link to Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/


The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know About Selling Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less, is available on Amazon as a Short for 49 cents.
http://www.amazon.com/Great - First - Impression - Book - Proposal/dp/B000YG6O5U/